Episode 2: Cold Water, Frozen Air

Boredom. Everyone feels it. But there is a certain kind of boredom that comes from doing the same thing day in and day out with no relief and the same landscape moving around you. It did not help that it took them two weeks to travel a distance that they could have done in one day with the wind at their backs. Yes, the sails she designed, or more accurately rediscovered, allowed them to move against the wind. But it didn't make them move quickly.

This was what Arya was feeling. The cold was bitter. More so even than her Stark blood was used to. The taste of ice was in the air, perpetual, like a bitter draft you could never get rid of. The food was monotonous. She had insisted they keep the preserved stuffs for absolute need. Because she insisted on the fleet keeping on its course as close to the ice as possible, she allowed some of the smaller ships to sail further south where the wind wasn't so strong. They fished every day and the fish was abundant.

When she had been planning the expedition Marwyn had insisted they take as much pickled cabbage as the ships could hold. He said it was the best way to prevent brown gum or the sailor's disease, as it was known. But it was dreary. Arya could still remember eating bugs to stay alive during her travels in the Riverlands. Right now she almost wished for some bugs just to break the endless routine of fish and cabbage every day.

They had kept near the coast as much as possible as they went north. That coast was soon covered in thick sheets of ice. It towered far above the tallest ship. It made her think of the Wall. The stars soon stopped dipping below the horizon and instead traveled in endless loops around the sky. Visible proof that what Marwyn had said was real. The fixed star though stayed the same and now they kept it almost directly starboard.

It was no longer possible to go any farther north. Something they were all thankful for. As they had gone north they had found their course being forced more and more eastward. Marwyn told them they were now travelling due east. Something Asha and her Ironborn confirmed. It wouldn't be long before they were on the opposite side of the world from Westeros. Bets were being made as to whether they would enter the Shivering Sea or strike a new landmass.

Arya already knew the answer. She had spent months studying accounts of the Long Night and legends from Essos. 'Demons' had come out of the Gray Waste to attack the Five Forts that guarded the land of Yi Ti. She was convinced they were the Others. That meant there had to be some connection between Westeros and Essos. One of her primary missions had always been to find it.

During her frequent flights, her one escape from the monotony of shipborne life, she had made a point of studying the land to the north. Covered though it was with ice it was still possible to spot the land underneath. Occasionally rocky coves would appear protruding from the ice sheet. That was how she knew the land did not end when they entered the realm of perpetual winter.

Snowflake made several passes over the fleet. She always did this to announce her intentions.

At Arya's elbow she heard, "I swear, she acts like she's performing." Joella shielded her eyes from the wind.

"She is." Dragons are more human than most people admit.

Arya looked back at the other ships. Just like on Summer, their decks were crowded. The dragon's antics had become a spectator sport.

Snowflake arrowed straight into the water not far from Summer's port beam. Within seconds she erupted out of the water with some huge monster caught in her jaws. The thing had no head, though Arya could see it still had eyes and a mouth. It also had a long, thin tail and triangular shaped wings that stretched its entire length. It was easily as big as a wagon.

"That's a ray," Asha said. "I've never seen one so big before.

Snowflake tossed the ray up into the air and belched fire on it. In the blink of an eye the creature was chard black and shrank in on itself. Snowflake caught it once more, carrying it off to her barge. She proceeded to tear into it.

Maud was now standing at Arya's other side. "I almost wish she would share."

Arya laughed, "I doubt you'd find it edible. Not without stronger teeth."

The spectacle over the crowd broke up. "You attending Marwyn's lecture?"

Arya shook her head. "I already listen to him more than I can stand. I'm going to my cabin."

As they went below decks they passed the passage leading to the main hold. That was where they ate most of their meals. And where Marwyn conducted his impromptu classes. So many people had asked him various questions that he had decided to have a real instruction class. Most of those who attended didn't really pay much attention. It was just one more way to try and escape the tedium.

Arya entered her room. She wasn't as besotted with luxury as either of her 'sisters', the literal and the metaphorical. But she was still a queen who did like her comfort. The most expensive things, aside from her Valyrian weapons and armor, was a set of silver brushes Jon had given her. She did like brushing her hair, which was probably the most 'girlish' thing she did. She sat down at her vanity, with real silver mirrors, and picked up one.

There was a knock at the door. Before she could answer it opened to reveal Asha. "We need to talk."

Arya really wasn't in the mood for another argument. "What about?"

"All this ice is damaging the ropes. Our ships were not designed for this."

Does this woman ever talk about anything else? Asha had never been enthusiastic about this journey. Now she was using every excuse she could think off to get Arya to turn the fleet around.

"Will you listen to me!"

Brienne stood in the back of the room. She was trying to follow what Merwin was saying, but he kept using words she didn't know. It didn't help that he spoke in a dreary monotone.

"The stars in the north zodiac are the most fixed, changing the least as the world spins around the sun."

The response to this world shaking comment to his uneducated crowd could best be described as a yawn. Brienne could see that most of them, which included all the other Queensguards, totally failed to understand a thing he said.

What they all appeared to take more interest in was whispering gossip and flirting. Every woman in the room had the pleasure of the attention of at least one Ironborn. Maybe the pleasure was questionable for some. Maud was keeping close to Jack. She seemed more interested in actually understanding Marwyn than most. Brienne pitied him. Being a I boy in her mind, he didn't understand Maud's interest. If he had he probably wouldn't have been so flattered.

One of the Ironborn left his chair and wandered over to her. "Interested in the stars?" He still had his tankard.

Brienne smelled the ale on his breath. "Something to do."

He leered at her, which was a little difficult because she topped him. "I can think of something better."

She really couldn't stand his breath. "Keep thinking." She left the room.

Jon was having his own problems. "I will not have the children grow up with strangers." Daenerys put her foot down. "They are ours and deserve to be with their parents."

Jon sighed. "I'm not talking about them being taken away. I only want them to experience life as others live it."

"I will not permit them to be fostered off! I don't care where." She put her hands protectively over her belly. "Our children will stay with us."

"We have responsibilities…"

"Then give them to someone else."

She knew he couldn't do that. He was king and she was his Hand as well as his queen. He thought he was making her life easier.

"If you must, foster their children here. They can learn from us how to run the kingdom."

"They don't want their children to leave them any more than you do."

"So why are you asking?!" She was starting to sound hysterical and knew it. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. "I understand what you want. I'm saying that I want to raise our children myself."

"What of being the Hand?"

She didn't answer. Dany wasn't the type to trust others. She had been burned too many times in the past.

She walked out.

I can't win. He went into his study. There were a ton of letters waiting for him. He tried to read some of them, but gave up. He was the king, but he was a father too. She already blamed him for not spending enough time with the children. It wasn't like he was avoiding them. As it happened, he wanted to be with them now. He felt so alone most of the time. It wasn't after she left that he realized how much time he had been spending with Arya. Dany is right. I really do spend too much time with this.

He heard a knock. Only then did he realize how much time had passed.

"Yes?"

Septa Annis entered. She was their children's tutor. She was also much younger than most would imagine a septa to be. Only a few years older than Daenerys herself, she had come highly recommended. Yet she made him nervous. As smart as any maester, nevertheless, she was still a septa. Dany didn't trust septons or septas. It was perhaps due to their family history.

Jon had little experience dealing with septons. He had wanted a maester, but few of them had survived the war. The three of them had all agreed that there were more important things for the maesters to work on than teaching their children.

"You summoned me, your grace." Her severe tone didn't help her image. She always gave the impression of being far older than she really was.

"I would like you to talk to my wife."

"The queen? Is there some difficulty with your marriage?"

It was a reasonable enough question under the circumstances. But it raised his hackles nonetheless. He already had more than he could handle with trying to rebuild the kingdom without people chattering behind his back over his 'abnormal' living arraignments.

"No… No. It's just… she's been bad tempered recently."

"As everyone in the kingdom must know."

Is the whole of Westeros gossiping about my family, he wondered. It would be unreasonable for him to believe otherwise. Yet he couldn't help but wonder how news traveled so quickly.

Annis was still speaking, "It is probably just her pregnancy."

"Not likely. She didn't act this way when she was carrying Rhaegar."

"Women do not always react the same during pregnancy. You wish me to examine her?"

He could imagine how Dany would react to that. "No. just talk to her. Maybe find out if there is something else bothering her."

Annis bowed, "Your grace."

Arya was taking her daily flight. She had done this even at home on Dragonstone when circumstances allowed. She always brought along a writing board and paper. It wasn't easy drawing on the back of a flying dragon, but she usually just rendered a rough sketch that she would redo once back on board. This was how they were able to maintain their maps with Marwyn and Jack doing surveys from shipboard to help. Arya was proud of her drafting skills. It was another of those abilities Sansa did not have.

This day was a little different though. On the horizon, toward the sunset, she saw a dark colored smudge. It was still hours away, but given the force of the wind they had no hope of avoiding it.

With a gentle nudge Arya directed Snowflake back toward the ship.

"There's a storm approaching," she cried as the dragon hovered over the bow. "A big one."

"Any chance it will miss us?" Asha had learned long ago never to second guess Arya.

"None." Arya had skillfully jumped from her dragon's back to the deck, Snowflake flying off for her lair.

Asha turned to Crackjaw. "Order the fleet to prepare."

He left to give the orders.

Dany felt off. It was the only way she could describe it. She knew she wasn't acting her normal self, but she didn't know what was making her feel so wrong. She was flipping through her children's laundry without having an idea why.

It was in this state that Annis found her. "Your grace."

Dany didn't bother turning around. "What do you want?"

"I know you do not like me, but that is no reason to be rude."

"I don't need you to lecture me."

"What do you need?"

It was such an odd question that it grabbed Dany's attention. "What do you mean?"

"His grace asked me to talk to you."

"Why doesn't he talk to me himself?"

Annis was bluntness itself. "You have been very unwelcoming these past several months. Many believe you drove away your junior queen because you tired of having to share the king."

Dany was outraged. "I didn't drive away anyone!"

Her rage was cut short when she spotted Catelyn standing in the doorway behind Annis. The septa noticed her look and spun around. The girl was on the verge of tears. "Is anything wrong?"

Dany could well imagine what Catelyn must have been thinking. "No sweetie. We're simply having a disagreement. Go play with your brother."

Cat didn't look the least bit reassured. She tried to get some sense of the realty of the situation from Annis, but the septa turned her back on her. Feeling unwanted and unwelcome, Cat slinked from the room.

"Why did you do that?" Dany demanded.

"Your grace?"

Dany didn't know if Annis was being deliberately obtuse or was really so clueless. "Why did you make her feel unwanted?"

Annis appeared genuinely perplexed. "I am not the one making her feel unwanted."

Dany felt as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown in her face.

Annis took on a superior tone. "Your grace should pay more attention to her family than lecturing others. Perhaps her grace should be less concerned with matters that do not involve her."

Annis spun on her heel and left. Daenerys found herself speechless. She knew there were those who believed she was supposed to spend her time being a wife and not bother with politics. Politics was the realm of men, never mind that she was hardly the first. Dany had been quite surprised at how many women felt she was betraying her station. But then those women had never had to create their own armies and conquer their own kingdom.

She went looking for Cat. She found her commiserating with her brother.

"She loves you. She really wants you to stay." He was patting her head.

"Why does daddy want to send us to Highgarden then?"

The poor boy had no more understanding than she did. "Maybe he wants us… to learn how the Small Folk live. You know he wants us to think of everyone. Not just bother with the High Born."

Cat couldn't be consoled. "Then why did mommy leave?"

To this he had no answer. It was not as if Arya hadn't tried to explain it to them. To their young minds sailing around the world served no purpose. An idea Dany happened to agree with. Yet she could not absolve herself given how actively she had 'encouraged' Arya to leave.

Rhaegar put his arms around his sister, tucking her had against his shoulder. She clung to him, crying her heart out. Dany chose to leave them in peace.

She sought out Jon. He was still in his study. He spent far too much time here in her opinion.

"Can you live one day without working?"

He dropped his pen. His attitude was one of resignation. "The kingdom won't rebuild itself."

"It seems to be doing just fine. Why don't you leave it to others for a while?"

"That's an odd thing to say coming from you."

She well understood. "I do have a bad habit of trying to control everything. I will try to change. I promise."

He reached out his hand and she gratefully allowed him to pull her into his lap. The two clung to each other.

"I am so sorry, for everything." The urge to cry overcame her.

"So am I."

"We used to have such fun."

"My dedication was what you loved most about me, you said."

She laughed, looking him in the eyes. "My hero."

The two laughed.

She was struggling once again not to break down. "Why do I feel like this?"

"You miss Arya."

It was a statement. The three of them had been so close. Perhaps too close.

Arya sat at her vanity, brushing her hair. The storm was pounding the ship, audible even in her cabin. She felt more alone than she had since she found herself orphaned in Kings Landing. The noise of the storm helped emphasis this.

Staring herself in the eye, she sank into memories. Bad memories.

"This is the whale," Dany said, introducing her to their visitors. Arya had smiled it off then. But it would prove to be only the mildest of the cascade of slights she would receive.

"Yes, she is most skilled." Dany was speaking to a representative of the Iron Bank. They were watching as Arya was practicing swordplay. "She was always boyish."

"I am intimately familiar with her. Being so flat chested makes using swords easy."

"She doesn't feed her baby herself. Not that there's much to feed on."

"Oh no! She totally lacks all ladylike skills."

"She never need worry about losing her figure. Boys don't have that problem."

"I agree. A cock would suit her. But then, she already has one."

"Sister, you know I love you. Your skill in bed is very much a man's."

"It's not true. Jon and I totally agreed with this journey. We can't wait for her to leave."

Even now the memories alone reduced her to tears.

But verbal put downs weren't the worst. Arya sat at her bureau. Her time would be soon. Days maybe, Archmaester Ibrose said. Childbirth scared her even if she had been through it before. It was death for far too many women and the archmaester did not like how thin her hips were. Arya though didn't like the idea of him cutting into her.

She picked up one of her brushes. "Let me sister." Dany was suddenly there, taking the brush out of her hand. Arya sat quietly as Dany put the brush to her hair. "You have such beautiful hair. From your father I think." It was the friendliest Dany had been in weeks. "I often wonder what you would have been like with your mother's hair. Red suits you, I think."

With a quick jerk Dany grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked hard enough to almost pull it out. With a cry Arya spun around. She was so shocked by the attack that she could only sit there staring.

"Oh, I am so sorry sister." Dany was actually smiling. "I didn't mean to do that." The look her eyes was practically challenging Arya to do something. She knew full well Arya would never hurt her.

Never.

Arya had buried her face in her arms, her head laid on her vanity. She lifted it up to look once more into her eyes. They were haunted, the memory as real as if it had happened yesterday.

Baby Ned lay in his cradle. It had not been an easy birth, but she was strong and he was healthy. Arya lay on her bed asleep. Though the three of them shared a bed more often than not, there were times when each of them wanted to sleep alone. Arya needed time to recover. Each of them had their own apartments within the palace, all joined together in the same wing.

Dany entered, moving quietly so as to not wake the baby. She leaned over his cradle and smiled. She loved babies. She knew she would love him too.

Then she moved over to Arya, sitting on the bed next to her co-queen. She sat there for some time, just staring. It was almost as if she couldn't make up her mind. Finally, she reached over to pick up the knife Arya always kept near her bedstead. She held it to her 'sister's' throat, the edge just barely touching the skin. She held it there unmoving. Dany noticed her hand shaking.

Arya's eyes opened. The two looked deep into each other's orbs. Involuntarily, the knife moved away from Arya's throat. Dany's hand was shaking violently now. With a gasp of pain the hand released and the knife fell to the floor. Dany tried to pull away, but Arya wouldn't let go.

They stayed that way for what seemed an interminable moment. Arya had a grasp of Dany's other arm by this point. As fast as breath Dany found herself lying on the bed, Arya on top of her. She tried to struggle free, but though she was smaller in size Arya was much stronger.

Dany was afraid. Arya could see it in her eyes.

The bed rocked. Arya's thrusts weren't hard, but Dany grunted with them anyway. Arya locked her lips on her sister's. She could hear Dany trying to protest, but kept her silent with her mouth.

Arya stared at herself in horror and disgust. It didn't matter that what happened after that wasn't considered a crime by either law or the Faith. Seven Hells, the Faith didn't even recognize sex between women as existing in the first place. The two of them knew what happened. Arya could never forgive herself. She had betrayed everything she had ever believed. In almost didn't matter than Dany forgave her. Dany never admitted it had happened at all. This was something Arya couldn't understand. Daenerys literally acted as if that night had never taken place to the point where Arya began to wonder if she had imagined it.

But the insults stopped.

A knock on the door almost made her jump out of her skin. She quickly wiped her face with her hand before Brienne burst in.

Whatever she was about to say was caught in her throat once she saw Arya. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

"Asha wants you. She says we're under attack."

Arya stared uncomprehending when the ship suddenly lurched. Yells could be heard topside. With no further discussion, the two women ran for the main deck, Arya stopping only long enough to grab her weapons.

On reaching the deck Arya saw Asha at the head of a group of Ironborn. She was armed with her uncle Victarion's great ax. The other Queensguards were already there, though none was in armor. Only Clegane was. But then he always was.

The rain was still beating down on them. Despite it though Arya could still get a good view down the length of the ship.

She had to yell to be heard, "What's happened?"

"Lookout spotted something moving toward us. It's disappeared under the water."

"How do you know what it is?"

The ship rocked again, almost knocking everyone off their feet. People grabbed for whatever they could to stay upright. Joella and Yimi had positioned themselves on the poop deck, with Yimi having to make a panicked grab of Joella to prevent her from plunging into the sea.

A huge tentacle as thick around as a log came flying over the gunwale followed by a half dozen others. Most flailed around, knocking men around like ten pins. One fastened itself around Asha's leg. She hacked at it with her great ax, but the thick rubbery hide resisted. She was yanked off her feet. Arya had to run across the slick deck to reach her before she vanished over the railing. Unlike the ax, Dark Sister sliced the tentacle as easily as cheese. The thing released and vanished back over the railing.

The fight had hardly begun. The arrows of the sailors were having no effect on the kraken's arms, not even Joella's and Yimi's. Their weirwood bows, acquired by Arya at great expense, could hit harder than any crossbow. And were magic to boot according to some. But their arrows were still tipped with the same castle forged steel as the rest. Both were reluctant to use their small cache of Valyrian tipped arrows. It looked as if they wouldn't have a choice.

Valyrian swords and spears were better. They had to be for the Ironborn's weapons were not. One man was crushed against the main mast before Sandor could get to him. He almost fell victim to it too. It whipped backward and hit him square in the chest. After hitting the deck he was unable to roll away quickly enough before it fell on him. The thing had him in its grip when Brienne dived on it. Her sword Oathkeeper severed it cleanly. There was a loud bellow, even louder than a dragon.

The Hound didn't stay lying on his ass. He saw Maud being hauled up into the air, the tentacle squeezing the life from her. Running underneath it, Clegane stabbed Heartsbane upward. The blade went clean through the arm and it dropped Maud. Clegane dropped Heartsbane to catch her and his sword rapidly slide toward the side. Alys saved it just in the nick of time, but somehow attracted another tentacle to her. It pulled her right off the ship. Luckily, she had kept hold of her spear and jammed it behind the railing posts. Holding on for dear life, she looked down to see a giant eye glaring malevolently at her. Maud, back on her feet, raced to her. She stabbed down with her Valyrian steel, Red Stallion. The beast released Alys and the Hound pulled her back onto the ship.

Arya could see they weren't doing well. Several Ironborn were down and her ladies couldn't move fast enough to fight off the kraken. Brienne was caught against the mainmast as one arm snapped like a whip. Obella planted her spear on the deck, so when the thing smashed downward intending to crush Brienne, it impaled itself. It reacted with pain, lifting Obella clear off the deck. Who knows what would have happened to her if the spear hadn't pulled itself free. Obella slammed into the deck hard enough to black out.

"It's hopeless!" Alys cried.

Lynna slapped her. "Pull yourself together! This battle is not over!"

Maud pointed to the sky. "Look!"

Gazing upward Arya saw a flash of white. Somehow, against all odds, Snowflake had managed to take off in the storm. Though how she stayed up there Arya hadn't a clue.

Looking around she spotted Brienne cradling the unconscious Obella. Asha and Crackjaw were side by side, Ironborn scattered at their feet. For some insane reason Jake had made his way up on deck. How he expected to help was anybody's guess. Despite the storm several of the other ships were trying to maneuver to aid them. Arya really wished they hadn't.

"Enough!"

Seeing one of the nets leading up to the crow's nest, Arya leapt for it. A tentacle grabbed her foot. She couldn't use her weapons because she needed both hands to hold on. Maud rushed to her aid, Red Stallion cutting the tip off and almost cutting the net too.

"Your grace!" Maud's voice was filled with fear, but it was fear for Arya who stubbornly pulled herself upwards. By the time she reached main topmast yard she was well above the reach of the kraken. She looked down and spotted the thing's baleful eye. There was intelligence in that eye. A malevolent will motivated it. It knew exactly what it was doing and it hated them.

Arya felt rage such as she hadn't felt in years. Despite the danger she pulled herself along the yard. Few could have managed such a trip. Not even sailors. Once she stood at the end she took Dark Sister in a two-handed grip and dived.

The kraken was still mostly submerged and the blade hit the water first. But even so, when she struck the beast it was like hitting a wall. All her breath was lost in an instant.

Which was a problem. The beast, after an initial reflex of pain, shot for the deep. Dark Sister was buried in its eye up to the hilt. Arya wouldn't let go of her precious sword. Within seconds she was pulled to an almost lethal depth. Fortunately for her, sooner than she could count heartbeats, a huge maw grabbed her ever so gently and pulled her free. There was a ringing in her ears and her eyes stung with sea water. Snowflake exploded into the air. Another few seconds and the pressure would have killed her.

Even so, she was totally incapacitated. Pins and needles filled her limbs and only supreme self-control prevented her from dropping Dark Sister. She shivered. The wind bit sharper than the sharpest Valyrian steel.

The storm was passing. Snowflake laid her gently on an ice flow. The dragon used her fiery breath to warm and dry her rider, although Arya found herself lying in a puddle.

The sun was rising by the time the boat carrying Brienne touched the ice flow. She almost slipped off it as she climbed up to reach her queen.

"Arya!"

For once Brienne had no fear of the dragon, not even noticing her as she ran to Arya. Arya was coughing and shaking like she had the sickness. Brienne cradle her like a mother.

Later, on board the Summer, "We lost the barge. And the Tempest. They must have both been dragged under by the storm."

It was a severe loss. Tempest was one of their largest ships. "Any survivors?"

Asha didn't answer.

There was no blame in her look. The Ironborn were used to loses from storms. But Arya felt guilt nonetheless. She was the one who had insisted on bringing the barge.

She was still shivering even with a blanket and dry clothes. Marwyn said it was because she had gone too deep into the water. Men were not built to live like fish.

"Anyone else?"

"Seven men. None of us have fought a kraken before so I can't tell you if that is good or bad."

"Many more injured," Jake added, though he shut his mouth when everyone looked at him.

Arya wasn't the only one suffering. Obella head was bandaged and Maud had quite a collection of puckered bruises.

Crackjaw entered the cabin. "There's been a change of wind. It's blowing south-southwest now."

Asha didn't react. "Should we turn for home?"

Arya just stared at her.

END CHAPTER 2